If, for some reason or other, you were invited to preach or speak in a Methodist church, at a Rotary Meeting, or at a city council meeting, would you select baptism as your subject? What would your subject be, if you were given an opportunity to speak privately with the President of the United States? Something like that took place in the life of Richard Furman in 1814.
While passing through Washington DC, returning to his home in South Carolina after the Triennial Convention, a mutual friend introduced Pastor Furman to a certain man named Monroe. He asked if Furman had ever preached at the Baptist church on the High Hills of the Santee? During the early days of the Revolutionary War, about forty years earlier, that church, and its pastor, had become well-known for stirring up resistance against the British. The young pastor of the congregation was not content to preach from his own pulpit, but traveled throughout the area, preaching in barns, standing on stumps, and on street corners, urging support for the infant American government. General Cornwallis became so disturbed by this man that he offered a thousand pound reward for his arrest – but he was never captured. When asked again, Furman, confessed that he was that young Baptist preacher, many years ago.
Monroe was so delighted to meet Furman that he demanded that the man preach to congress. Furman fought the idea, claiming that he was not the orator Monroe made him out to be, but eventually he lost the argument. On this day in 1814, standing before Congress and James Monroe, President of the United States, he chose Acts 22:16 as his text – “And now, why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized.” It is said that as the message developed the elderly man regained his youthful, God-given power, and his voice rang throughout the chamber. Over and over again, with increased power and intensity, “And NOW, why TARRIEST thou? Arise! And be baptized.” Toward the conclusion of the message as he shouted the words again, several in the audience heard the word “ARISE” once again, and they actually jumped to their feet as if it was some sort of alarm.
One might think that President Madison might have been embarrassed at asking a Baptist to preach to Congress, and even more embarrassed at the message, but it is said that they became very good friends. And Richard Furman was an important influence in bringing religious freedom to the State of South Carolina. I believe that Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina is named in honor of this man.